Basketball training aid

ABSTRACT

A basketball training device to allow basketball coaches, basketball trainers, or basketball instructors to simulate the physical contact of the sport for their players without causing injury to those players. The training device is comprised of a plastic pole with three areas of thick foam padding encased in vinyl fabric. The device is to be held at the grip/s with one or both hands. The device makes it possible to practice many of the situations where contact occurs in the game of basketball in a practice or drill setting safely. Practice scenarios include; making lay-ups or other shots around the basket while being fouled, being fouled on a dribble drive to the basket, a player fighting through contact to set or receive a screen, and fouling a perimeter player on a pass to the post and then quickly fouling the post player while finishing the play.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not Applicable

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH

Not Applicable

REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING COMPACT DISC APPENDIX

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

The present invention relates to the field of athletic training devices, and more particularly to safely simulate the contact a player experiences in the sport of basketball.

2. Description of the Related Art

In the prior art, means of basketball training aids try to simulate defensive opponents in practice settings so the offensive player/s can improve their skills for games. The prior art does not create scenarios to emulate the natural contact of the game of basketball in a fluid and safe manner. Practicing against this contact in a realistic manner is critical to the process of sharpening the offensive player's skills. These devices are uniformly deficient with respect to their failure to provide a simple, efficient, and practical device for effective practice against contact from a defensive player fluidly in a practice setting, so the offensive player can prepare for the natural contact that occurs when they shoot, dribble, pass, cut, or post up.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,258,633 B2 (2007) issued to Joseph et al. describes a basketball practice system or apparatus with pads where a player can practice post position or boxing out with contact from the apparatus. While this device does provide contact for offensive players, it is only for players around the basket and not on the perimeter. Also, it cannot be moved from the perimeter to the post during one drill to provide fluid, game-like contact throughout a drill.

U.S. Pat. No. 199,676 A1 (2006) issued to Ashbaugh describes a hand held device for the purpose of improving the effectiveness of the defensive player. The device includes a foam hand on padded wooden pole. This device presents the user with an single elongated arm to distract the offensive player but does not create the type of physical contact the offensive player will face in the game.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,485,993 (1996) issued to Lipsett describes a moveable basketball training device that includes elongated padded arms to simulate a defender. The device cannot be move quickly enough from perimeter to the post and does not simulate intense game like situation.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a device that will safely simulate the physical contact that occurs in the game of basketball. The device is to be used in a practice or drill setting to improve offensive players' skill level, particularly playing through physical contact. Several objects and advantages of the present invention are:

-   -   (a) to provide a basketball training device that when held by a         knowledgeable basketball coach or basketball instructor in the         proper manner, this device allows offensive players to practice         using the correct driving lanes to basket in a drill situation.     -   (b) to provide a basketball training device that when held by a         knowledgeable basketball coach or basketball instructor in the         proper manner, this device allows offensive players to practice         passing to teammates using the correct, open passing angles in a         drill situation.     -   (c) to provide a basketball training device that when held by a         knowledgeable basketball coach or basketball instructor in the         proper manner, this device allows offensive post players to         practice correct post position with safe contact from the         device.     -   (d) to provide a basketball training device that when held by a         knowledgeable basketball coach or basketball instructor in the         proper manner, this device allows offensive post players to         practice using their sense of touch to determine the correct         post move versus the device with safe contact.     -   (e) to provide a basketball training device that when held by a         knowledgeable basketball coach or basketball instructor in the         proper manner, this device allows the offensive player to         practice moving the basketball from one side of their body to         other side with safe contact from the device.     -   (f) to provide a basketball training device that when held by a         knowledgeable basketball coach or basketball instructor in the         proper manner, this device allows offensive players to practice         scoring while being fouled with safe contact from the device.     -   (g) to provide a basketball training device that when held by a         knowledgeable basketball coach or basketball instructor in the         proper manner, this device allows offensive players to practice         basketball cuts with safe contact from the device.     -   (h) to provide a basketball training device that when held by a         knowledgeable basketball coach or basketball instructor in the         proper manner, this device can be easily moved from one drill to         the next or can be used in one drill to provide multiple contact         scenarios for offensive players.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a front elevated view of the present invention, the back of the present invention being a mirror image.

-   -   (a) is a front elevated view of said inventions oversized flat         blocking pad, the back of the present invention being a mirror         image.     -   (b) is a front elevated view of said inventions plastic grip,         the back of the present invention being a mirror image.     -   (c) is a front elevated view of said inventions elongated         cylinder blocking pad, the back of the present invention being a         mirror image.     -   (d) is a front elevated view of said inventions plastic grip,         the back of the present invention being a mirror image.     -   (e) is a front elevated view of said inventions shorten cylinder         blocking pad, the back of the present invention being a mirror         image.

FIG. 2 is front view of the present invention showing one use of the FIG. 1( a) and FIG. 1( b) simulating contact on an offensive player shooting the basketball.

FIG. 3 is a front view of the present invention showing one use of the FIGS. 1( b) (c) and (d) simulating contact on an offensive player establishing post position.

FIG. 4 is a front view of the present invention showing one use of the FIGS. 1( b) (c) and (d) simulating contact on an offensive player attempting to pivot to face the basket from a post up position.

FIG. 5 is a side and top view of the present invention showing one use of the FIGS. 1( b) (d) and (e) simulating contact on an offensive player on the perimeter attempting to move the basketball from one side of the body to the other.

FIG. 6 is a side view of the present invention showing one use of the FIGS. 1( a) (b) (c) (d) and (e) simulating contact on an offensive player while showing the correct driving angle to the basket.

FIG. 7 is a back view of the present invention showing one use of the FIGS. 1( a) (b) (c) (d) and (e) simulating contact on an offensive player attempting to pass the basketball to another offensive play

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

This device provides a simple, effective way to simulate safely in a practice setting, the physical contact an offensive player experiences in a basketball game.

The device is to be held at the handles (FIGS. 1 b and 1 d) and is used as a blocking pad to make safe contact with an offensive player in a number of ways:

-   -   (a) this device allows offensive players to practice using the         correct driving lanes to the basket with safe contact in a drill         situation.     -   (b) this device allows offensive players to practice passing         with safe contact to teammates using the correct, open passing         angles in a drill situation.     -   (c) this device allows offensive post players to practice         correct post position with safe contact in a drill situation.     -   (d) this device allows offensive post players to practice using         their sense of touch to determine the correct post move versus         the device with safe contact in a drill situation.     -   (e) this device allows the offensive player to practice moving         the basketball from one side of their body to other side with         safe contact from the device in a drill situation.     -   (f) this device allows offensive players to practice scoring         while being fouled with safe contact from the device in a drill         situation.     -   (g) this device allows offensive players to practice basketball         cuts with safe contact from the device in a drill situation.     -   (h) this device is easily moved from one drill to the next or         can be used in one drill to provide multiple contact scenarios         for offensive players.

This device consists of a plastic cylinder 50 inches in length and 1 inch in diameter. FIG. 1 a widens to a flat piece of plastic 11 inches in length, 11 inches in width, and ¼ inch in thickness. Adhered to the plastic in FIG. 1 a is polyurethane foam 4 inches in thickness encased in vinyl fabric of any color. FIG. 1 e widens from the cylinder pole to a wider cylinder of plastic 11 inches in length, 6 inches in diameter, and ¼ inch in thickness. Adhered to the plastic in FIG. 1 e is polyurethane foam 10 inches in thickness cut in the shape of a cylinder, encased in vinyl fabric of any color. FIG. 1 b and FIG. 1 d consist of the plastic pole 7 inches in length from FIG. 1 a and FIG. 1 c and 7 inches in length from FIG. 1 c and FIG. 1 e which serve a handles for the device. FIG. 1 c has 4 inches of polyurethane foam in diameter encased by vinyl fabric of any chosen color. 

1) A device used for basketball practicing, training, developing offensive skills, shooting, scoring around the basket, posting up, screening, cutting, ball handling, passing, driving, said device can be used by basketball coaches and basketball trainers to provide safe contact to players to create game like contact in practice, drill, or training sessions, said device is light weight and durable, consisting of a plastic pole with two flat plastic ends attached or in one solid piece, where thick polyurethane foam is adhered and encased in vinyl fabric of any color, with the grips consisting of the plastic pole. 